Afghanistan strengthens regional transport ties with Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

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Afghanistan is stepping up efforts to become a key transit hub between Central and South Asia, as new infrastructure projects with Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan move forward.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation confirmed that Minister Mullah Hamidullah Akhundzada met Kyrgyz Ambassador to Kabul, Turdakun Sydykov, to discuss expanded cooperation in air and land transport. According to the ministry, both sides emphasised the need for stronger transit connectivity between Kabul and Bishkek.

No concrete projects have been announced yet, but officials signalled readiness for collaboration in civil aviation and cargo movement.

In Herat province, Turkmenistan’s Executive Director of the Joint Stock Railway Companies, Qurbanov Sardar, met with Governor Noor Ahmad Islam Jar to discuss the expansion of Torghundi Port, a strategic crossing point on the Afghan-Turkmen border. According to a statement from the Herat governor’s office, construction of warehouses at the site is expected to begin soon, with Afghan labourers leading the first phase. The governor added that Turkmen specialists will receive visa support as needed.

In a separate development, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told a United Nations conference that his country supports accelerating the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project. He said the initiative will help create “a new commercial and economic space” and foster long-term connectivity across the region.

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), transit improvements in Afghanistan could reduce regional trade costs by more than 30%,  but only if stability and cross-border cooperation continue.

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